Deck 19: Work Measurement, Learning Curves, and Standards

Question 1

For work sampling, p will never be known exactly since it is the population parameter that is being estimated.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

At an 80% learning rate, if the first unit requires 100 labor hours, the 8th unit will require 64 hours.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The outputs from a work measurement study leads to development of labor and equipment standards that are used for all of the following except

A)Estimating workforce capacity
B)Fatigue and personal needs allowances
C)Determining the cost of new work procedures
D)Providing accurate information for scheduling and sequencing

Answer 3

B

Question 4

A 90% learning curve implies faster learning than an 80% learning curve.

Question 5

The performance rating factor and allowances are based upon human judgment.

Question 6

The groups best suited to set work standards are managers with input from industrial engineers.

Question 7

All of the following are advantages of using regression analysis to determine standard time except

A)A smaller cycle time is used
B)Avoids the assumption of additive task times
C)Statistically significant variables can be determined
D)Confidence intervals for the prediction can be developed

Question 8

The learning curve does not apply to supervisory personnel, some skilled craftspeople or jobs that have non-repetitive job tasks.

Question 9

Predetermined time standards are advantageous since they avoid needing multiple performance ratings.

Question 10

Which of the following is not part of the general approach to time study?

A)Defines and evaluates each task and activity
B)Measures and records the time needed to perform each activity over a number of cycles
C)Randomly observes work over a period of time to obtain a distribution of activities
D)Determines the allowance factor for the work activity

Question 11

Allowances include time for all of the following except

A)Fatigue
B)Equipment breakdowns
C)Rest periods
D)Poor scheduling

Question 12

A Performance Rating Factor (PRF) of 1.15 means

A)The worker is working at a pace that is 15% faster than normal
B)The worker is working at a pace that is 15% slower than normal
C)The worker is working at a pace that is 15% faster than standard time
D)The worker needs to add 15% to the standard time

Question 13

Normal time needs to be adjusted for personal time and avoidable delays.

Question 14

For a time study, it is assumed the distribution of task times follow a Poisson distribution.

Question 15

A Performance Rating Factor PRF) of 130% means a worker is slow and needs 30% more time.

Question 16

Unavoidable delays should not be included in time studies.

Question 17

Regression analysis is used to predict times based on different attributes of work.

Question 18

When timing a work activity with multiple tasks, the general rule is to take the largest sample size estimate and use it for all activities or tasks.

Question 19

After developing a pre-determined standards, stop-watch or work-sampling times studies need not be performed.

Question 20

Job and process analysis should follow work measurement.

Question 21

Define and relate normal time and standard time.

Question 22

Personal fatigue and delay allowances are added to ____ to arrive at ____.

A)Standard time; normal time
B)Standard time; desired time
C)Normal time; desired time
D)Normal time; standard time

Question 23

Predetermined time standards are

A)Macronotions
B)Available in books and electronic tables
C)A quick way to directly add up and get standard time
D)Best for old and stable manufactured goods

Question 24

How do predetermined standards differ from time studies?

Question 25

All of following are true regarding learning curves except

A)Not used for a pricing strategy
B)Are affected by a ratio of manual to machine work
C)80% learning curves exhibit a step initial decline and then level off
D)Used in defense industries

Question 26

A method of randomly observing work over a period of time to obtain a distribution of the activities that an individual or a group of employees performs is called

A)learning curve analysis
B)a time study
C)work sampling
D)work measurement

Question 27

Differentiate between an experience curve and the traditional learning curve.

Question 28

Discuss the two different sides of the debate over work standards.

Question 29

Discuss several factors that can affect the application of the learning curve or experience curve and/or the amount of learning that occurs.

Question 30

Define work measurement and what it leads to from an operations perspective.

Question 31

The ____ states that the cost of doing any repetitive task, work activity or project decreases as the accumulated experience of doing the job increases.

A)Learning curve
B)Experience curve
C)Deming philosophy
D)Regression method

Question 32

Work samplings

A)Are based on normal distribution
B)Are used for repetitive work activities
C)Determine the allowance factor
D)Require a systematic non-random) sample

Question 33

Which is not a practical issue when using learning curves?

A)Incentive systems and bonus plans may increase learning
B)Complex intellectual learning will end quicker than learning simple tasks
C)A contract phase-out may result in a lengthening of process times
D)Keeping groups of employees together reaps productivity benefits

Question 34

Define work sampling. Give both manufacturing and service applications.

Question 35

Explain the use of regression analysis in establishing standard times.

Question 36

Define time study and describe the basic procedures for conducting a time study.

Question 37

Determine the sample size for the following time study given a standard deviation of four minutes and a 98% probability that the value of the sample mean is within 1.5 minutes?

Question 38

Explain the concept of learning curves using an 80% learning curve as an example.

Question 39

Determine the sample size for the following time study given a standard deviation of three ounces and a 92% probability that the value of the sample mean is within two ounces?

Question 40

Work standards

A)Improve motivation if set by managers
B)Increase variability if set by works
C)Are best set informally
D)Work best when designed by workers

Question 41

For a work sampling study, there is a 95% probability that the processing time of an activity has an error of less than 0.06 minutes. The best estimate we have for "p" is 0.30. Determine the size sample that should be used for this work sampling study.

Question 42

The Chester Table Company mass produces quality end tables for motels. They produce 5,000 end tables per week. The owner is trying to determine how many workers he needs. The workers work 40 hours per week but are idle about three percent of the time due to cleaning up their area. Their performance rating is equal to one. The owner has developed these time standards for operations per table:
Transporting the table through the plant = 2 minutes
Table top = 10 minutes
One leg = 4 minutes
Finishing = 5 minutes
a. How long does it take in minutes) to produce one table?
b. What is the labor standard in minutes) for this operation?
c. What is the minimum number of workers needed to produce 5000 tables in one week?

Question 43

The manager at a sewing factory uses a piece?rate pay system. She has just received an order for 600 dresses from the discount house downtown. She is trying to figure out what her costs are for the project. She has conducted a time study and found operations take this long:
2 minutes to sew one sleeve
3 minutes to sew body of the dress
3.5 minutes to hem all unfinished edges
1 minute to attach the collar
3 minutes to attach all buttons
The workers must sit idle while they wait for supplies on the conveyor belt for an average of 30 seconds. Their performance rating is equal to one. She pays the workers $6.00 per hour.
a. What is the allowance factor for the operation?
b. What is the labor standard in minutes) per dress?
c. What is the labor cost per dress?
d. What is the labor cost for the entire order of 600 dresses?

Question 44

A company manufactures computer parts. They have received an order for 100 custom disc drives. It is estimated that the first drive will take 20 hours of shop time and an 80% learning curve is expected. The labor rate is $15.00 and the pricing policy is to charge 3 times the labor cost.
a. How many hours will the 100th disc drive take?
b. How many hours will the entire order take?
c. What is the price of the entire order?
d. What is the price per unit?

Question 45

Based on data from a work sampling study, an office worker spends 21.5% of his time filing. Over the work sampling period, he was idle 12% of the time. If the worker filed 420 items in a 40-hour work week while performing other activities, and if his performance rating factor for filing was 0.95, determine the standard time, in minutes, that it took him to file an item.

Question 46

A job had a normal time of 2.43 minutes, an allowance of 20% and a forecast demand of 120 units per day. How long should it take to produce one day's output?

Question 47

A fast food stand has a thriving business in downtown Portland. They serve 3,500 burgers, 3,000 orders of fries, and 4,000 soft drinks per week. The workers all work 40 hours per week but are idle two percent of the time. The manager wants to try to become more efficient. He has done a time study and found:
$$\begin{array} { l c } \underline{\text { Elements for One Item } }& \underline{\text { Minutes }} \\\text { take arder }& 2 \\\text { time takes kitchen to fill order } & 5 \\ \text { pick up order \& put in bag } & 1 \\\text { take customer's money }& 2 \\\end{array}$$ It takes 1 additional minute per additional item. The average order size is 3 items.
a. What is the average number of orders per week?
b. What is the average cycle time in minutes) per order?
c. What is the labor standard in minutes) per order?
d. How many workers does the manager need per week?

Question 48

A manufacturer made a commitment to supply 20 units of a product. The first unit took 1,200 hours to make, the second unit took 900 hours and the third unit took 768 hours. How many hours should it take to make the 20^th unit?

Question 49

A yacht manufacturer signed a contract to build five sailboats for a California resort. Assuming an 85% learning curve, how many labor-hours will it take to build all five sailboats if it took 7,000 standard hours to build the original sailboat?

Question 50

A manufacturer made a commitment to supply 20 units of a product. The first unit took 1,200 hours to make, the second unit took 900 hours and the third unit took 768 hours. Determine the total number of hours required to make the first ten (10) items.

Question 51

An employee was observed over an extended period of time for a work sampling study, with the following results:
$$\begin{array} { l c c } & & \text { Performance } \\\underline{\text { Activity} } & \underline{\text { Percentage of Time }} &\underline{ \text { Rating Factor } }\\\text { On the Phone } & 30 \% & 1.15 \\\text { Filing } & 35 \% & 0.70 \\\text { Face-to-Face with Customer } & 25 \% & 1.10 \\\text { Idlle } & 10 \% & \ldots\end{array}$$
While doing her job in a 40-hour work week, the employee helped 120 face-to-face, walk-in customers. Determine the standard time in minutes that it took her to help each face-to-face walk-in.

Question 52

Consider the work sampling information below.
$\quad$$\quad$$\text { Cycles Actual Time in Seconds) }$
$\begin{array}{|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|}\hline \begin{array}{c}\text { Work } \\\text { Task }\end{array} & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 \\\hline \text { Q } & 25 & 30 & 27 & 31 & 22 & 20 \\\hline \text { R } & 40 & 52 & 35 & 42 & 47 & 38 \\\hline \text { S } & 60 & 62 & 50 & 55 & 62 & 58\\\hline\end{array}$
a. If the performance rating factor for Q = 0.80, R = 1.10 and S = 1.10 and the total allowance is 17%, determine the normal time for the job.
b. With the allowance of 17%, determine the output per hour.

Question 53

For a work sampling study, there is a 95% probability that the processing time of an activity has an error of less than 0.06 minutes. The best estimate we have for "p" is 0.30. Determine the sample size needed for a work sampling study if no estimate of p is available.

Question 54

Locksmith Inc. has an order from a bank for 50 specially designed safes, one for each bank branch. It is estimated that the first safe will require 75 hours of shop time and a 90% learning curve is expected. The labor rate is $15.00 per hour and the pricing policy of the company is to triple the labor cost of the order.
a. How many labor hours should the 50th unit require?
b. How many labor hours will the whole order require?
c. What is the customer's price for each safe?

Question 55

A furniture manufacturer has an order for 20 custom wine cabinets for a large hotel in Hawaii. It is estimated that the first cabinet will take 100 hours of shop time. An 85% learning curve is expected. The labor rate is $12.00 per hour. The pricing policy is to charge two times the labor cost for the order.
a. How many hours will the 20th wine cabinet take?
b. How many hours should the whole order take?
c. What is the price of each cabinet?

Question 56

Consider the following time study data.
$\quad$$\quad$$\quad$$\quad$$\text { Observation Cycles Actual Time in Minutes) }$
$\begin{array}{|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|}\hline \begin{array}{c}\text { Work } \\\text { Task }\end{array} & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 & 7 \\\hline \text { A } & 0.12 & 0.17 & 0.19 & 0.11 & 0.15 & 0.16 & 0.20 \\\hline \text { B } & 0.91 & 0.95 & 0.97 & 0.88 & 0.86 & 0.80 & 0.94 \\\hline \text { C } & 1.52 & 1.48 & 1.40 & 1.60 & 1.65 & 1.52 & 1.47\\\hline\end{array}$

a. If the performance rating factor for A = 1.15, B = 1.0 and C = 0.85, determine the normal time for the job.
b. If personal allowance is 7%, fatigue allowance is 12%, personal delay allowance is 9% and avoidable delay is 4 minutes, determine the standard time for the job.